Chapter 85 Blasphemy 34. Asking the Celestial Venerable Xu to Die?!

It rains incessantly during the Qingming Festival.

March 7th, Yangcheng.

Early in the morning, before dawn, a fine drizzle began to fall, wetting the wine flags fluttering in the wind and the dusty dirt road.

The road was deserted except for a crow perched on a wine flagpole, turning its head back and forth, as if spying on something, or perhaps just idly watching the spring rain.

Suddenly, as if it had heard something, the crow turned its head in surprise and took flight.

Almost simultaneously, at the end of the road, a young man in plain white robes, holding a folding fan, slowly turned the corner.

His features were handsome and charming, yet his expression was resolute and composed. The slight movement of his fan had a unique charm, causing the drizzle to flutter without wetting his clothes.

Following his steps, a group of over a hundred people gradually came into view. The group included men, women, young and old, rich and poor, noble and lowly. At first glance, they seemed to have no particular differences. However, upon closer inspection, one could discover that each of them seemed to exude an indescribable feeling, full of high spirits, vibrant and bright, a color rarely seen in the mortal world in the past two hundred years.

Windows were quietly opened along the roadside, and the people of Yangcheng who were peeking out were puzzled, but they were all captivated.

"Open the city gates!"

The captain's voice came from the city wall.

Shen Mingxin looked up and gazed into the distance, smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, then stepped forward, leading the group toward the slowly opening north gate.

Outside the city gates lies Chaohe River, Mangshan Mountain, and Shenzhao Army.

"My lord, the Divine Illumination Army hasn't even attacked the city yet, and we can't wait to challenge them. Isn't that a bit too hasty? These people..." The captain stood beside the prefect, looking at the army from afar, and said with concern.

The prefect, who hadn't slept all night, sat under the tarpaulin, half-closing his eyes, stroking his beard and said, "The Battle of Qingming on the seventh day of the third month was set by Shenxiangjun. It must have been an auspicious day according to divination, right? We have the right timing and the right place. As for the right people, we'll find out as we go. We didn't ask you, old man, to go with us to fight."

"I'd rather go to war..."

The captain frowned, clearly not having much confidence in these hundred or so people, unless they were all divinely inspired, which was impossible.

A deity can only bestow a limited number of divine gifts. Even someone as powerful as the Celestial Venerable Xu Tian, ​​who received a divine mandate from Heaven and Earth, could only bestow divine gifts upon three people. How could it be possible for a hundred people to receive such gifts?

Moreover, being divinely inspired does not mean one can rival gods and demons. Mingyin is the most powerful divinely inspired being in the world, and he still needs to carry the avatar of Xutian Mingzun when he is subduing demons in the Nine Provinces.

Even the most divinely gifted are only slightly stronger than innate martial artists. But this time, the Divine Illumination Army has brought with them a Divine Demon Army, which consists of true gods and demons! What can these mortals use to fight against them?

If the God and Demon Army doesn't fight, fine; but if they do, these hundred or so men will likely die in vain.

Inside, there are elderly people with full heads of white hair and children who are less than waist-high!

The captain was indignant and could only stare at the procession leaving the city, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly.

The commotion of opening the city gates alerted the people inside, who cautiously peeked out and watched with concern.

Although the Shenzhao Army did not besiege the city, the sudden opening of the north gate during the confrontation between the two armies clearly indicated that they were about to take action.

"Have you heard? Today we are going to war with the Divine Illumination Army!"

"Really?"

"Of course it's true! That group of people just now went out of the city to lead the charge!"

"That group of people just now? Although they were all wearing armor, they didn't look like soldiers at all. There were old, weak, sick, and disabled people among them. What could they possibly be doing?"

"I don't know, but it's said that he came from Yu County and has been cultivating at Shenxiangjun's Wangqiu Mountain Dojo for almost half a year. He doesn't even come down the mountain. Perhaps he is a divinely inspired person or a powerful martial artist?"

"It doesn't seem like it, but since it was sent by Shenxiangjun, there must be some explanation..."

This group of one hundred cultivators was indeed sent by Chu Shenxiang, but apart from Shen Mingxin, no one knew that Chu Shenxiang herself was among them.

Of course, he didn't transform into a person; rather, he traveled invisibly.

After all, these were the first batch of cultivators in this world, trained by Chu Shenxiang himself. As their de facto patriarch, he had to come and watch as they descended the mountain for the first time to hone their skills through battles.

Let's see their strength, and also see how this world reacts to this path of mortal cultivation.

However, only one avatar appeared to have accompanied them. Chu Shenxiang herself would not intervene unless in a critical situation.

A light rain falls with the wind.

A mile outside the city gate, on the banks of the Chao River, Shen Mingxin put down the wooden box that resembled a shrine in his arms, took out a small statue from it, and gently placed it on a stone platform.

Seeing this, Chu Shenxiang touched Shen Mingxin's hand, indicating that she would also stop here to watch the battle and not go any further.

Shen Mingxin smiled, and taking advantage of the fact that no one around was paying attention, she quickly kissed the small statue of the deity, then turned and ran away.

Helpless, Chu Shenxiang sat down cross-legged and watched them cross the river.

Among the five kingdoms, Shenzhao is the most powerful. The reason it has not yet forcibly unified the nine provinces is that it intends to do so gradually. The Shenzhao army boasts that it is invincible and can destroy any city, and has always been arrogant.

Upon arriving in Beizhu, they were first met with the Zhaohe County gates wide open, allowing them to enter. Then, Xiling retreated into hiding, watching helplessly as their deities refined Mangshan. Initially, they suspected a trap, but as time passed, they became certain that it wasn't some conspiracy or trickery, but rather that Beizhu was simply too weak!

So what other concerns do they have?

Northeast of Chaohe, they occupied the entire line, and their camp was almost set up at the bridgehead.

Over the days, they had grown accustomed to the tightly closed gates of Yangcheng and the anxious figures patrolling the city walls day and night. However, today, before dawn, the gates of Yangcheng suddenly opened.

The Shenzhao outpost at Chaohe Bridge discovered this situation and immediately reported it.

"Only a little over a hundred?" In the central command tent, General Yuan Su, upon hearing the news, looked doubtful. "Are you sure you didn't see it wrong?"

"Reporting to the general, absolutely not! There were about a hundred people, men, women, and children, who came on foot, not on horseback. Although they were all wearing armor and carrying weapons, they did not look like soldiers. They looked rather strange."

Yuan Su pondered: "A team like this leading the charge cannot be simple. But even if it is not simple, it is at most a few martial arts masters and divinely inspired individuals. We have no shortage of such people in our army."

"Alright, Wenhu, you lead the troops first and give them a test!"

"As the General commands!"

A gaunt general in the tent rose and immediately took the order and left.

Yuan Su had two famous generals under his command. One was Wen Hu, who was divinely inspired by a certain deity in a certain county. He was a scholar-general with outstanding talent and wisdom. The other was Wu Bao, who was a highly skilled innate martial artist with the strength to lift a cauldron and kill ordinary demons as easily as cutting melons and vegetables.

Seeing Wenhu leave, Wu Bao said with dissatisfaction, "General, why did you send that pretty boy instead of me? Even a divinely gifted master or a martial arts master can't stop me from swinging my sword!"

"Why waste so much time on a small Xiling and a small Beizhu? Just cut them down!"

Yuan Su glanced at him sideways: "Do you think Xiling is a fool, Beizhu is a fool, or is that Shenxiangjun who gave the Heavenly Venerable a hard time a fool? None of them, yet they dare to challenge us in such a disadvantageous situation, sending such an obviously weak and vulnerable team. Isn't that strange? Wenhu has more experience dealing with these things than you. He should test the waters first..."

Wu Bao was unwilling, but he said no more and just drank in silence.

Wenhu is indeed experienced.

He received the order and came out, but instead of leading his troops out of the camp as usual, he reorganized his troops and divided them into three formations.

The first group consisted of well-trained soldiers, with no divinely inspired individuals or martial arts masters. The second group had half of them martial arts masters, and the third group consisted mostly of innate martial arts masters, along with twenty divinely inspired individuals.

Wenhu led three groups of soldiers to the northeast bank of the Chao River, where they met the strange hundred-man team.

"Who goes there!"

Wenhu, wielding a large battle-axe, spurred his horse forward and shouted loudly.

With this shout, divine power was used, and instantly a whirlwind swept in, scattering raindrops and raising dust everywhere.

Those watching from both sides of the strait were astonished.

"They actually sent Wenhu! It seems Shenzhao isn't giving us any chance at all. These hundred-odd people are probably doomed..."

"You're dead!"

Someone sighed inwardly.

The hundred people who had been presumed dead were not frightened or confused when faced with Wenhu's divine power, but their expressions varied and they were far from calm.

However, Wenhu found this lack of composure rather strange. It didn't seem like fear, but rather more like curiosity about seeing something unusual for the first time.

Wenhu narrowed his eyes slightly, not daring to be careless.

Shen Mingxin chose a young man in blue robes who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage to temporarily lead this group of cultivators. Upon hearing this, the young man in blue robes stepped forward against the strong wind and politely cupped his hands, saying, "Disciples of the Wangqiu Mountain Daoist Temple in Yu County, Xiling, are here. Today, we invite Venerable Xu Mingtian to die!"

Are you asking Venerable Xu Mingtian to die?!

Such arrogant words are not only unacceptable to Shen Xiangjun, but also to a mere mortal.

On the city wall of Yangcheng, the captain exclaimed in shock: "They've gone mad!"

King Fusheng, who was secretly observing from a neighboring county, clicked his tongue in disapproval: "He's courting death!"

Sure enough, before he finished speaking, Wenhu and his soldiers were all furious.

"You wicked villains!" Wen Hu's eyes blazed with fury. "How dare you blaspheme the Heavenly Venerable! If we don't make you wish you were dead today, we are unworthy to be called the Divine Illumination Warriors!"

"Gentlemen, what are you waiting for? Charge now and kill these arrogant little thieves!"

With a sudden jewel swing, Wenhu roared.

"Charge!"

Driven by rage, Shenzhao led three thousand soldiers, their roar like a mountain, as they charged forward on horseback, brandishing spears and shields with ferocious force.

Within Yangcheng, the sounds of galloping hooves and shouts could be heard, shaking the earth and disturbing the peace of chickens and dogs.

"This is the Divine Illumination Army!"

The people were terrified and filled with despair.

However, this violent commotion did not last long. After a short while, the ground shook even more violently, followed by screams of people and mournful cries of horses.

Northeast of Chaohe, men and horses fell in disarray. Three thousand soldiers had just rushed out of the formation, leaped across the open space, and arrived in front of the hundred men. Before they could even thrust their spears and tread on their horses, they were suddenly crushed as if by a giant mountain. Horses knelt and men fell to the ground without exception.

All of this was accomplished by the young man in blue who slightly raised one hand.

"What is that?!"

"A divinely inspired being, or a pre-heavenly martial artist?"

"What kind of divinely gifted individual or innate martial artist could suppress three thousand people with one hand? Even the Grand Preceptor of the Divine Illumination Kingdom is no better than this!"

"There are such hidden figures in Xiling. No wonder they dared to challenge Shenzhao's formation!"

Such a move left all the onlookers speechless.

“These people are indeed strange…” Yuan Su stood in front of the tent, gazing into the distance.

On the battlefield, the soldiers of Shenzhao Kingdom were all greatly alarmed.

Some of the fallen people were unwilling to accept it and tried to struggle to get up, but it was as if they were being suppressed by something, and they could not even lift their legs.

Amidst the wailing of the enemy, the young man in blue remained calm as he gazed at the enemy ranks: "General Wen, there's no need for further probing, lest innocent mortals be implicated. I can tell you, the Divine Illumination Army is no match for us."

"To protect your Heavenly Venerable's life today, we'll have to get serious."

Wenhu's face was cold.

He knew that these hundred men must be quite capable; they couldn't possibly have come here to die. But to be so skilled, to be able to suppress three thousand men single-handedly with just a slight gesture, was truly extraordinary.

Even if it is a divinely inspired being, it is by no means an ordinary one.

“A hundred or so divinely inspired individuals? Interesting,” Wenhu murmured with a smirk. “But divinely inspired individuals are not the masters of this world. No matter how powerful a divinely inspired individual is, they can never break through the boundaries of the mortal realm…”

Wenhu stared at the young man in blue and sneered, "Sending out those divinely inspired to bully the weak, is this the integrity of your Xiling? Since you are so unscrupulous, you can't blame us, Shenzhao, for this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three groups stepped forward.

Of the thousand people, apart from the twenty divinely gifted individuals, all were Grand Martial Masters, second only to Innate Martial Masters. Among the five kingdoms, only Shenzhao could amass such a large army of divinely gifted individuals and Grand Martial Masters.

"That's more like it."

Shen Mingxin stood at the back of the group, holding a fan and chuckling softly.

The fact that Shenzhao so readily revealed the divinely inspired being and the Grand Martial Master surprised all the onlookers and further confirmed the rumors they had heard.

“Shenzhao definitely brought the army of gods and demons that they had gathered, which was composed entirely of evil gods and demons! If these hundred people are all the extraordinary power of Xiling, then I'm afraid…”

While everyone was still in shock and wondering what was going on, a shout rang out on the battlefield, and the fighting began.

Those divinely empowered can borrow the divine power of the gods; even a Grand Martial Master can fight a minor demon, no longer easily subdued by the young man in blue. Wielding countless treasures and weapons, they charged forward with overwhelming force, a whirlwind of destruction sweeping away all obstacles.

Seeing this, the young man in blue also became solemn. He drew his sword and leaped into the air, saying, "Fellow disciples, this is our first battle. Be careful and do not be careless. Let us display the might of mortal cultivators, spread the name of the Wangqiu Daoist Method, and proclaim it to the world today!"

"Follow me and kill!"

"kill!"

"kill!!"

The Chao River was churning and boiling.

Countless shouts of killing, filled with resentment, unwillingness, grief, and fervor, were the loudest roars of all mortals against the heavens and earth over the past two hundred years.